April LaPetité

For the LaPetité group this month, I returned to using charm packs as I was too busy to fiddle with FQs or yardage.  We used the Schnibbles pattern, Brocante.  I like it!

I  shopped at Fat Quarter Shop as usual.  I really appreciate their immediate shipping!  I use the Moda charm packs called Modern Workshop for a fresh spring/summer wallhanging.

I am putting this on the long-arm frame as soon as I finish this cup of hot cocoa.  I loaded the backing & batting the other night.  I’m using this as a practice piece for my next big quilting job with lots of stars/triangles.

In hindsight, I would have preferred a more plain background white.  But I like the print.  It is 35″ x 35″ and will soon replace the fall/winter hanging I have in the living room!  Laying this out on my cutting table which isn’t clear enough, told me once again, I want/need a design wall.  *sigh*  I would have rearranged a few of the blocks.  But scrappy/very random is OK for this.  🙂

To see more of the LaPetité group, go to HERE (I’m in this one) andHERE  (more quilts in this pattern are on this link).  Now changed to direct links to the posts.

ETA on Sunday: I finished the quilting just before heading to church last night.  I did a mix of Pamela Clark’s ideas and used her methods for as few threads stops as possible.

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My Wedding Review

I’m sure there will be a plethora of Royal Wedding posts.  I thought I’d either join the throngs or just have a different take on things!

Seriously, these girls need help!  I’m thinking that since their mom wasn’t invited to the wedding she helped them look their worst!  The turquoise is NOT becoming to this girl’s figure!  Ack!! And the taupe with the ribbon doo-da-hat?  Ack!!  They should be embarrassed!

One thing I have not heard any announcer comment on….

When Prince Charles walked in the Abbey, removed his hat & gloves, he then wiped his English nose with his right hand.  He took 8 steps and proceeded to SHAKE HANDS with those that were participating in the service!! Ack!!  Gross!!

This behavior out of the Prince of England just cracks.me.up!!   Our dear Uncle Phil would pass out green over such action!!  LOL!

I enjoyed the pageantry.  And the fairy tale but down to earth wedding (as much as they can) and watching the bride & groom interact midst millions of people watching them.   I think Catherine is a beautiful bride and will be a wonderful addition to the royal family!

I’m glad I got up to watch it live.  To see it all unfold.  At 3 a.m. when my alarm went off, my eyeballs hurt!  K & I were sending text messages back & forth…. until she fell asleep during the ceremony!  🙂   Fun to have her view on the hats & the dresses!

photos from the people.com site

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Wildlife Menagerie

Over the last month….

besides the usual pheasant, bunny, or rodent, we’ve also seen —

BEAVER!

FIL said he’s never seen a beaver around here.  (79 yrs worth!)

Either we’ve had WAY too much rain (yes!) or this guy was lost.  Our creek (the lowest shown here) doesn’t have enough water for this guy to swim.

~~~@

Coming home one day, I noticed grass/straw/mess on the porch.  Odd. The next time I pulled into the garage, I looked closer and saw this on the front porch.

I had just put out the “spring” wreath a week earlier.   Looks like Mr. & Mrs. Robin thought they’d have a built  in babysitter.

However, K wasn’t thrilled about the coming “mess” on her door.  I’m not thrilled with the mess left on the wall and porch with just this!  No one was incubating yet so the home has been relocated.  🙂

~~@

And Miss K found us PINK spring chickies for our proposed spring wreath idea!  She tried them out on Nina who is NONE too thrilled!  After de-winging (the wings looked like pig hooves!!!) the chicks, we did make wreaths.  More on that later!

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Auction

Phil & I found a Sunday auction a few weeks ago. He was looking at tools.  I was looking for sewing notions, old machines, quilts.  I found quilts.

The quilts were bundled and wrapped in clear shipping tape so it was difficult to see what you were bidding on.  So I didn’t bid very high and probably quit too soon on some.   I ended up with 3.  Total of $30 for all of these.

This blue one has hand embroidered blocks that are machine sewn onto the blue background.  It is just a crib size; 33″ x 30″.

Even tho this next one is red, I love it with the turquoise and I love the little star blocks.  So it is mine.  🙂   It has some worn spots that I’ll fix with muslin and some stains that I’ll work on getting out too.   47″ x 57″

It is also crib size.   Blocks are about 10″.

And my doink of the day —

All wrapped up — thought nice pastel quilt.  I was OK with it not being very old but then…. at home… it is 2 pillow shams!!  Sham is right!!! 😦  Probably made in China.  My bad.

FWIW — Phil got a heavy-duty grinder.  Now he is looking for the cement grinder attachment.     Just call me…. confused! 🙂   Nonetheless, a fun time out!

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A Goodbye

{Figures I’d need to log in to get here… been ages since I’ve blogged!!!  Sorry!   So now for some updates, in random order……}

JP had to say a hard good-bye to a great friend, mentor, big brother, and good friend a few weeks ago.    Ken has been music pastor at our church for several years and has really helped JP with music as well as in other areas.

Pete wrote an amazing poem to Ken.  I doubt there were many dry eyes after that one!

Ken has lots of new ventures on the horizon.  I hope these 2 keep in touch.  Ken has asked JP to come help with some computer set-ups at the church so we hope that pans out.

Thanks Ken for sharing so much with JP!  What great times of music, four-wheeling, mud, guns, and camp-outs!  You are a super big brother!  🙂

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Considering Spring

Spring doesn’t come very early to our parts.  But this weekend it was appearing.

The southside daffodils bloomed so I brought in 5 of the 6 blooms for the table so they could be enjoyed.  The lilac bushes are just starting to get some leaves and new today, the crab apple tree is showing signs of life.

Yesterday was unseasonably warm with the temps hitting the mid-80’s and plenty of wind blowing in a storm.

Phil took the afternoon to get his onions planted.  He loves having fresh onions from the garden (go figure!) and his cousin gets good sets for us every spring.

JP found these two working together —

You can see the rest of the landscape doesn’t look very springy.  The grass has just turned in the last few days.   Phil counted 107 onions he put out.    🙂

Even with all the hype, we only netted a good light show and less than 5 minutes of rain from the big build-up and storm.   I’m OK with that.  I like my house standing and the electricity working.

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Beginning Sewing 2 & 3

For the next 2 classes at Beginning Sewing Class we worked on making tote bags from upcycled jeans.

I was thrilled the girls came with 2 XL pairs of used jeans as instructed on their take-home papers. They (& their parents) were good shoppers!  (or closet divers!)

Most of class 2 was spent cutting.  Too much cutting if you asked them!  We took apart the pants, easily….. NOT by ripping out stitches!   Then I had made heavy patterns from poster board for them to trace around.  Those pieces needed cut out.

We sewed a tiny bit with seaming the pieces for the side & bottom and straps.   All the girls were extra tired and slow-going this day so we didn’t get as far as I hoped.

At the end of the time, they piled their pieces neatly and 2 asked to take all their scraps home with them.  I’m sure the moms were thrilled!  🙂   They had cut out a front, a back, enough pieces to make 2 straps, and enough pieces to make a long piece for the sides and bottom.  The girls were excited about their embroidered pockets I had made and their pocket was placed on top to label their pile.

The next class had them excited to finish!  Maybe it was the sunny day that helped too!  I told them that we had a lot to accomplish if they wanted to finish their bags today.  They worked hard and finished!

There was much more sewing to do this day and of course, all 3 preferred the variegated thread to plain old top-stitching thread to coordinate with the jean idea.    So the 3 of them took turns using 2 machines.

The machines were a bit more cantankerous this class.  I’ve bought new belts for them and have asked Phil to open up the motors to see what he can clean, oil, or tweak in there.  I really need 3 machines going for our next classes.

I helped the girls sew on the pockets as the corners were quite thick!  On one pocket while going veryvery slowly, I broke a needle!  Oh my!  The shock to them that I had broken a needle.  “She did it herself!!”  “She broke the needle!!”  It was quite funny!!  One carried the pieces to the kitchen counter so later I could take them to the broken needle container.

I don’t have permission to post their photos but above these totes are 3 darling smiles! So cute!  They had been parading around the room with them on their shoulders and I asked them for a photo.  So fun!!

We did skip the flat-felled seam to finish the edges.  It was time to be done and the girls were at the end of their limits.  The totes are so big for them but they can carry a lot!

In hindsight, I think the project was  more than they were ready to tackle but they are happy with their totes!  🙂  Next up is a few classes of working with a purchased pattern and making a skirt!  I’ll keep you posted as I can.

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Celebrate!

I’m a bit behind in posting but last week, my dad had a great report from his oncologist!

After several tests since his radiation treatments ended in November 2010, he is CLEAR OF CANCER!!!

 

He has some decrease in oxyegen flow (could be damage from the radiation or ?) so has some oxygen to use at bedtime.  But he does and it helps so we are good with that.  We are thankful the tests were clear and there isn’t a need for further treatments for now.

 

I know many of you have prayed for him.  Thank you! We are thrilled and thankful for God’s faithfulness and for His strength for the journey.

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